Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Boys' Life television show - the action-packed, original series "Scouting for Adventure" - is back on the Outdoor Channel in reruns, Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. All-new episodes for season three will kick off this summer coinciding with the 100th Anniversary celebration and the 2010 National Scout Jamboree.

Season three will continue the adventure, taking viewers on spectacular treks to the BSA's national high adventure bases and giving them an inside peek at "the best, most exciting, fun-filled safest jamboree ever."

DVDs of seasons one and two are available at www.boyslife.org/DVD, or by calling (972) 580-2376. Cost is $22.95 for the two-season set, $14.95 for a single season or $10 each in lots of 10 or more. Prices include shipping and handling.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Cyberbase Trading Post, the place where you can print free certificates, has just received a new shipment of beaded award arrows. While many Scouts use these for crossover ceremonies, they are also ideal for Order of the Arrow and special recognition.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

You are invited to attend an outdoor Easter Sunrise Service at Vasquez Rocks County Park in Agua Dulce. If you are not able to make it Easter Sunday morning there is also a matinee on Saturday April 3.

Friday, March 26, 2010

If you attended our exceptional Balboa Oaks Adult Recognition Celebration you would have heard about our upcoming San Fernando Valley Leaders of Character event. We would like to fill in those of you who were not there. This event has 3 purposes:

To honor outstanding men and women in our San Fernando Valley who exemplify the Scout Oath and Scout Law in their lives.

To provide positive city wide publicity and promote the Boy Scouts of America to our San Fernando Valley and beyond.

To raise needed funds for our Scouting Program.

This event will be October 2nd, 2010 at a location to be determined, Universal Studios and Warner Center are 2 of the places under consideration. It will be a gala, tuxedo optional event. We will be partnering with the Las Colinas District in this event. More details will be upcoming.

Our first priority is to choose our Leader of Character honorees. This is where we need your eyes, ears and experiences. We would like you to nominate your friends, associates, business partners or anyone who you think would be good candidates for this award.

You can go to our website and download an application to mail in, or you can fill out the form right there online. You may nominate Scouters and also reach out to the community and nominate those not involved in Scouting. Qualifications for nomination and a list of our previous honorees are on the website. You may nominate as many people as you feel worthy. People can not be considered without a submitted nomination. Should your nominee be chosen, you and your guest will be provided free admission to the event so you can share in the celebration and see them honored.

Please take a few minutes to tell us who you think would be worthy of this prestigious award. Don't think someone else will do it - it probably won't get done. Nominations close on May 1, 2010, so don't delay. Any questions feel free to contact me.

Dear Scouts and Scouters: On Saturday, May 8, Troop 18 will hold their annual Merit Badge Midway from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Over 35 merit badges will be offered.

The details about the Midway and the merit badges offered are all contained in the brochure. Please check it regularly to see which additional merit badges and prerequisites have been added. It's important that Scouts are fully prepared to sit for each merit badge.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Dear Scouters in Cahuenga and Balboa Oaks Districts: There are 12 scholarships that are available to young men and women of outstanding character in the San Fernando Valley, each worth $1000. To qualify, a candidate must presently be a senior in high school. He should complete the attached forms and submit them as instructed on the forms. Please circulate these forms to seniors in your troops, teams and crews.

The great thing about these scholarships is that they are not based on GPA, but on character. Community service and outside activities are most important. Obviously, Scouting can play a significant role in winning one of these scholarships.

Please note that the deadline for submitting an application is April 30, 2010. Please direct any questions to Mr. Boeckmann. His information is also on the application.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

My name is Yevette Peterson, I am the volunteer Event Chair for the Relay For Life of Woodland Hills.

We wanted to see about getting help from Boy Scouts for the Relay For Life of Woodland Hills on April 17th at Pierce College. In case you are not familiar with it, Relay For Life is a 24-hour, family-friendly, team event where communities come together in the fight against cancer. Relay is all about celebrating cancer survivors, remembering those who have lost their battle, and fighting back against cancer. The flier provides more information; you can also visit our website.

We have a couple of things with the event with which it would be great to get the Scouts help:

Volunteers beginning 6:00 a.m. Saturday, April 17th with the following:

Helping the teams set up their tents at their campsites

Helping direct traffic into the event so people don't get lost

Helping with general event set-up

Presenting the colors at our Opening Ceremony which begins at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, April 17th

Please let us know what you think and if you might be able to help us out.

You can reach me via email or on my cell: (818) 378-3068. I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks so much!

Best,
Yevette Peterson
Chair, Relay For Life of Woodland Hills 2010
Join us April 17-18, 2010 at Pierce College
check us out: www.relayforlife.org/woodlandhillsca
American Cancer Society
Celebrate! Remember! Fight Back!

Saturday, March 6th, marked the start of Race to 2010, part of our Get in the Game! 100th Anniversary geocaching program. Pinewood derby cars representing councils, districts, and units across the country will race through this high-tech treasure hunting game. As the cars move from cache to cache, Scouts and Scouters can track their cars' progress online as they head toward the finish line, a cache located near the 2010 National Scout Jamboree in Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. Prizes - including memorabilia signed by NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon - will be given out in a variety of categories.

Anyone can be part of the race and win fantastic prizes from the BSA and even a new GPS unit for your patrol, Den, Troop, or Pack. All you need is a Pinewood Derby car and a Travel Bug®. If you don't have one, you can purchase a Travel Bug for just $4.25. Essentially, a Travel Bug is a dog tag with a unique tracking number. Each is associated with its own page on Geocaching.com where people can track its progress as it passes from person to person or cache to cache. The Travel Bug can be put into an existing cache (large enough to hold the derby car), or you can create an entirely new cache to start it off.

In addition to the online posting, you can attach a laminated card to your car that talks more about Scouting in your community and what your goals are with this Travel Bug. We've provided an example is below, but feel free to customize it to make it your own. All of this information is also found in our Race to 2010 overview.

Online Posting

Name: Be sure to include the words "Race to 2010" somewhere in the name of your Travel Bug name, so we can track its progress. For example: "BSA Race to 2010: Balboa Oaks District, Western Los Angeles County Council" or "WLACC Race to 2010, Boy Scouts of America"

Goal: Travel to meet as many Scouts and non-Scouts as possible. We'll update this listing with "finish line" coordinates at a later date.

About this Item: This Travel Bug is attached to a Pinewood Derby car that was made by Scouts from [COUNCIL/DISTRICT/UNIT]. It is traveling across America! Please move it along, and log your Scouting memories.

Laminated Card (Could also be Geocaching.com Travel Bug Mission)

Help Scouts from [COUNCIL/DISTRICT/UNIT] in [CITY, STATE] move this Pinewood Derby Travel Bug® across the nation and into as many Scout and non-Scout hands as possible. This is the first ever nationwide pinewood derby race, and we want to cross the finish line! Prizes will be awarded for cars that travel the farthest, pass through the most hands, and have the most creative route, among others. Help us speed along by moving this Travel Bug. And be sure to visit our online log to tell us about your Scouting memories. [COUNCIL/DISTRICT/UNIT] provides [NUMBER] youth from the [REGION/STATE] area with a strong foundation of leadership, service, and community. Find out how to get involved with Scouting where you live! Visit www.Scouting.org

Any unit from the Western Los Angeles County Council can participate in the race. In addition to the prizes earned at the national level, there will also be prizes awarded for the most successful traveling cars from the WLACC, including a new GPS unit. To enter, please send your name and unit information, along with the serial number on your Travel Bug tag, to Shawn Halbert at laslow3@yahoo.com.

We sincerely hope that you'll grab a derby car and join us for Race to 2010. This program provides us with an incredible opportunity to get Scouting out in front of thousands of people, and we'll have a lot of fun while we're at it.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Down and Derby is a family comedy about a Cub Scout Pinewood Derby™ race that turns an average group of dads into an awkward bunch of competitors.

Free DVD for all Jamboree participants

The 16 Eagle Scouts who produced Down and Derby are offering a FREE copy of the commercial DVD for each Scout, leader and volunteer attending the 2010 Jamboree this summer. All requests must be made by a BSA council representative, so have your local Jamboree coordinator inquire further at jamboree@downandderby.com on or before April 15th. This is a limited-time offer with one combined shipment per council.

Free movie night

Each year, Down and Derby is a crowd favorite for family, scouting and school audiences across the country. Join the fun this Derby season and promote Scouting with family-friendly entertainment that showcases one of Scouting's most celebrated traditions - the Pinewood Derby. Best of all, DVD screenings are free throughout 2010.

Special BSA promotions for 2010

Over 500 BSA councils and units have shown Down and Derby to entertain audiences, boost membership, raise money and increase attendance at Derby events. In recognition of the 100th anniversary of Scouting, the producers are offering free promotions and the lowest DVD prices ever. Check out the BSA wholesale pricing for the DVD.

Where:
Day 1 - Classroom in Lake Balboa
Day 2 - Stoney Point or similar

Why:
"Be Prepared", whether in the front country, back country or following a Disaster, you need to be prepared. This course covers what your basic First Aid dares not. The new curriculum is in concert with the new 2010 BSA Wilderness First Aid Curriculum (Released March 2010). Also, meets the requirements set by the Philmont Scout Ranch.

More Info: Please see the flyer. If you would like to request to host a course for your own group, or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me via email (below).

Notes:

Philmont will still accept current Wilderness First Aid cards. Any course taken after April 1st, must be the Wilderness and Remote First Aid (WRFA) certification. The pre-requisite to WRFA is Adult CPR w/ AED certification. The course that I am conducting in April, will begin by satisfying this pre-requisite. So this course in April includes, both Adult CPR w/AED and WRFA Certifications.

Those requiring only an update to Adult CPR w/AED Certifications can choose to register in the CPR course only. Both begin together on April 24 at 1pm. CPR/AED ends at about 4pm, and the WRFA course continues til 7pm that Saturday.

Competitors will shoot 100 sporting clay targets. All levels of shooters are invited, from beginners to experts. Youth are welcome, but must be experienced and accompanied by a responsible and experienced adult with written parent consent. Family teams are welcome and encouraged! Scoring is based on the Lewis Class system, and all shooters have a chance to win prizes.

Cost: $195 per individual participant or $975 for a 5-person team.
Included in the cost, shooters will receive 100 12 gauge shotgun shells to use at the event, a continental breakfast in the morning, lunch, and a Fun Shoot t-shirt and one ticket for our door prize drawing.

Lessons with Chairman Ken Simpson are available by appointment. Please contact him directly at (310) 614-6412.

You may bring your own shotgun or rent one from Triple B Clays (rental fees $15-$25). Ear and eye protection is mandatory, and a vest or bag for your shells is suggested. These items are for sale at Triple B Clays.

Guns, ammunition, shooting accessories and other valuable items will be raffled.

Scouting and outdoor sports go hand-in-hand. Many Scouts learn how to properly handle a rifle or shotgun for the first time at Scout summer camp. While Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting remain an important part of the American tradition for many, not all children have equal access to the Scouting program. This is why we need your support.

Help Scouting celebrate its 100th Anniversary by participating in this fun day!

To all Boy Scouts, there is a community project available for service hours. The Rotary is holding their District Assembly on April 10th at Hillcrest Christian School at 17531 Rinaldi St., Granada Hills 91344.

You will be directing parking and directing participants to their assigned classrooms. This is not an activity for Cub Scouts, Boy Scout participation only.

The times needed are 7:30am until 12 noon, with the bulk of the assistance needed at 7:30am. As a little thank you the Rotary will be providing In-N-Out for lunch! This is a great way to show your Scout spirit and show the leaders of our community we are here, and here to help. Wear your uniform and look sharp!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Attention Scouters with a Publicity and Marketing background. We are looking for a volunteer to help us with Publicity and Marketing of a major BSA 100th Anniversary event which will benefit all districts in the Western Los Angeles County Council. If you have the experience and willingness to help the scouting program, please contact Roy Powell, Jr. at (818) 324-6922 or Paul Brown at (818) 601-1054.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Located at:
The Sanctuary Church at the entrance of Friendly Valley
26444 Friendly Valley Parkway, Santa Clarita

April 17, 2010
8:30 am till 4:30 pm

Each Scout should contact the Merit Badge Counselors prior to the Midway to complete any prerequisites for each Merit Badge class. Each Scout needs to bring a notebook, something to write with, and signed Blue Cards for each Merit Badge class they are taking.

Group will meet at the 11th Street main entrance (by Magic Johnson statue)

Cost is only $17.00 per Scout/child/adult.
(includes processing/handling/convenience/facility fees charged by Staples Center for every ticket)
This does not include food or parking, please... Carpooling is the best way to go!

The event will include:

Stars on Ice commemorative patch for each guest

Possibly a group admittance to pre-show warm-ups (once required number of guests is met...)

Great seats (Floor/VIP Premier) are still available to my group on a first-pay, first-served basis!
(I have a very strong relationship with the Staples Center)

I have the first 6 rows of sections below, so please let me know your seat preferences when you RSVP via jreyes98@aol.com

VIP/Premier 8, 9, 10, 11
Sections 207, 208, 209, 214, 216

Note: These are live inventory and availability will change from day to day...

The Stars of Vancouver are Coming to You Live!

Fresh off the ice in Vancouver, the Stars will bring the excitement of their performances directly to you. The Smucker's Stars on Ice Tour captures their spirit as it visits cities across the USA, each for one night only. Don't miss your only opportunity to see Olympic Silver Medalist Sasha Cohen, World Champion Evan Lysacek, Olympic Silver Medalists Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto and MORE of the world's best skaters in this magical combination of artistry, athleticism, and great music - all in one show!

Tickets will be distributed on May 20th, 2010 by the Magic Johnson statue on 11th Street entrance from 6:00 to 6:30 pm.
I will be sending more detailed info to all participants, including consent forms, by May 15th, 2010.